CHRISTIANNEWS.COM.- Bible sales increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest providers of Christian books and educational materials in the world.
LifeWay’s Carol Pipes told CBN News that Bible sales “have remained strong since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the United States” in April and increased through June.
The company’s chief executive, Ben Mandrell, added that the increase in Bible sales is not accidental, as people often turn to the Scriptures as a source of hope in times of crisis and uncertainty.
“People draw hope from the scriptures because in them they see a God who is with us during our suffering. The Bible, as God’s words to us, is a reminder that He does not leave us to walk alone through difficult times,” he said. .
Religious publisher Tyndale House Publishers previously told the Christian Post that they have also seen a rise in Bible sales amid the pandemic.
This includes that the sales of the Life Application Study Bibleincreased by 44% and the sales of the Bible Immersion they increased 60%, according to Jim Jewell, a Tyndale executive.
Jewell said she believes concerns about the pandemic “have changed almost everyone’s lives in some way.”
“It is not surprising that people turn to the comfort and clarity of the Bible in times of trouble and uncertainty,” he said, adding that Tyndale’s involvement with social media was also growing.
search for comfort
In April, book sales data provider Nielsen BookScan revealed that biblical and liturgical texts had been climbing rapidly. The group said the increase in purchases was an “unusual pattern compared to the same period in recent years.”
Nielsen cited church closings as a factor, adding that “perhaps people are turning to Scripture for comfort in these abnormal and gloomy times… or perhaps people are curious as to whether the coronavirus is prophesied in Revelation.”
David Jeremiah, senior pastor at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California, and host of the radio show “Turning Point,” told CP that since the shutdown began, viewership for his online services has skyrocketed dramatically.
“Is this the start of a revival? This may not be a revival in the truest sense of the Great Awakening, but I think we are seeing a revival online.”
While the pandemic is “scary” and “frustrating” for many people, Jeremiah stressed that God is clearly in the midst of it all, adding: “He is with us wherever we are. You don’t have to be in a crowd to have God. You just need a quiet moment.”
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